My first FanFic!
Meet Hero Alecto Laurence, your typical half blood... not. She's a daughter of Nike, goddess of victory. She can help her side win. But her side isn't with the gods, oh no. It's with Kronos, but will an annoying son of Hades be able to change that? It sucks to be twelve. Nero in later chapters. Yes, she has a crush on Ethan... I wanted to do a little character development for him :)
Edit- Thanks to Ellen 26 for telling me what Ethan looked like. I still made up the eye color, but it's much more canon.
Virtues: Confident, quick learner, determined.
Flaws: Arrogent, prone to hate, looks down on others.
Hero dispatched the dummy with one last swipe of her sword. She pumped her fist and let out a victory cry.
"Oh, yes! I win!" she gloated, turning to face the older boy. Ethan gave her a sour look and checked the stop watch.
"Fifty seven seconds," he snarled. She rolled her eyes at him.
"In case you've forgotten how to count moron, that's less then sixty. Admit it, I win," she said, a smug smile playing on her lips. He sighed and nodded slowly.
"Okay, you win Hero. I bow down to your infinite knowledge of how to beat up a straw dummy in less then a minute," he said. She raised her eyebrows.
"Is that sarcasm I hear, Ethan?" she asked sweetly.
"Yes, yes it is," he said, grinning at her. She smiled back, flipping her auburn hair over her shoulder unconsciously. She found herself staring at him and quickly looked away. He was, after all, five years older then her and all. However, that didn't stop a blush creeping up her pale cheeks.
He stopped to take a swig from his water bottle before he picked up Apocalypse once more. His long, iron sword was perfectly balanced and ready to fight. A much better weapon then the stupid training sword Luke had given her. She was outraged he underestimated her like that. She'd show him stupid, pompous... Her train of thought was cut off by a scream from below deck. She gave Ethan a questioning look and he shrugged.
"Dan Carson turned out to be a spy," he said, indolently. Her heart contracted slightly, that boy had been in her bunk, he was only fifteen.
"So, what's going to happen to him?" she asked, trying to sound casual. Again Ethan shrugged.
"They'll either kill him or turn him to us for good," he said, shaking some blond hair out of his eyes. She shuddered, knowing full well how they might go about doing that. She put down the sword and put a hand over her beating heart, as if to calm it. Strenuous exercise she was used to, torture she never got the hang off.
Ethan didn't seem bothered. She admired him for that, they were just god brats. They were brainwashed and dumb. Nothing that exciting. Still, she was, for once, glad Luke thought she was too immature to handle that. Normally, she would have kicked his ass to prove she could. Or tried to anyway, he was a Titan half the time.
She shook those thoughts away and went back to watching Ethan sword fight. His longish blond hair fell into a pale green eye (the other covered by a patch) as he twirled around to slice at the dummy. She allowed the hormonal side of her brain to sigh just a little. She knew she was pretty enough, so what idiot decided that he'd be born five years before her? He'd never notice how her auburn hair curled gently, or her dark brown eyes flashed, or her pale skin. No, she was destined to be just the awkward girl he trained to sword fight. That would always be it.
She sighed and put down the sword.
"Eth, I'm going to take a walk," she said, "need a breath of fresh air." He raised an eyebrow but nodded.
"Sure, we'll work on defense when you get back," he winked. They both knew she was dismal at defense. She smiled weakly and practically ran out the door.
She burst out onto the deck and was met with Apollo's shining rays. She hated the gods, but she loved the sun on her skin. Being outside always calmed her, always made her fell reminiscent. Unfortunately, she had nothing pleasant to reminisce about. Only a life with an abusive father and whining stepmother. And then Luke had come, ranting about the Greek gods and told her that her mother, yes, the one that had abandoned her, was Nike, goddess of victory. A lot for a ten year old to comprehend all at once. A lot for anyone really.
She gripped her stomach, feeling sick. Twisting around she retched over the side of the boat. Uck, why was she so damnably weak? Why couldn't she handle the torture like Ethan could? Or Luke, who was, more often then not, the torturer himself?
She took a few more gulping breaths, not wanting to be sick again. Hero didn't know how long she sat there, but next thing she knew Clara Chesterfield was shaking her awake. The daughter of Apollo looked red faced and melancholy, it was no secret she and Dan had been more then just friends.
"Hero, honey, you have to wake up now, Luke wants us in his chambers," she said gently. Hero sat up and stretched herself out. Her limbs were painful from the uncomfortable position she had fallen asleep in.
"How's Dan?" she asked softly. Clara's face crumpled and she let out a small sob.
"He- he didn't make it," she said quietly. Hero felt that sick feeling return. She wrapped her skinny arms around Clara and the older girl calmed herself.
"Come on Hero, we have to go," she said, straitening up and offering her hand. She took it, and together they walked off towards Luke's rooms.
---
David Meyers and Ethan were already there. They both looked around as the girls entered. Hero gave Ethan a sad smile and her brown eyes passed right over David. She'd never liked the son of Ares. Luke looked up and stood to greet them. The room was comfortable, with burgundy colored chairs and a thick rug. Much better then the bunks most of them had to sleep in.
"Clara. Hero," he said and Hero could tell it was one of the rare moments he was entirely himself. They both nodded and he went on, "I've gathered you here for a reason. I want you to go on a little... mission for me. Are you all up for it?"
The demigods exchanged looks. Then, in unison, they muttered their consent. Luke smiled.
"Good. In one week you need to leave to find a son of Hades," he began. Ethan cut him off, something most half bloods would not have the courage to do.
"Do you mean that one that was with Percy Jackson?" he asked. Whoa, Hero thought, hold up. But Luke nodded.
"Yes, Nico di Angelo. I have it from one of the spies that Hades never broke the oath, although the boy is Hero's age, he was born in the year 1932. Lotus Casino," he explained. Everyone but Ethan looked surprised. Stunned even. This was bad, now the other side had three powerful half bloods. Luke seemed to hear these thoughts.
"Your job is to get him on this side. His father is Hades, he is not welcome at camp. It should be fairly easy," he said. "You leave in a week. That is all."
He smiled once more and gestured to the door. The demigods left, excited suddenly, even Clara looked brighter.
"So, we get this Nico kid, and that gives us a path straight to the top!" David was saying. Ethan smiled and agreed. Hero grinned. One week wasn't horribly long.
"Hero, would you do me a favor?" Clara asked softly, "I want you to go make sure they give Dan a proper funeral. Please?" Hero hesitated until she saw the girl's face. She nodded and said goodbye to the others. She took a left turn down into the bowels of the ship until she got to the cells. Jesse Carlton, a son of Hephaestus, greeted her and directed Hero to the morgue.
---
She barely recognized the corpse, the face was burned. The body was twisted and she could see a few exposed ribs. It was disgusting and she felt sick again. She turned to Isaac Nedley the boy in charge of cremation.
"I want him to have a proper funeral. Don't make me take this up with Luke, just do it," she said in her best tone of authority. The son of Deimos smiled and assured her he would be burned with the greatest of care. Sick bastard, she thought.
She sighed, and ran down the hall, wanting to get out of there, but as she passed a cell she heard a voice.
"Hey you!" it said, definitely female. Hero whirled around, searching for the voice. It was coming from one of the lower cells that were situated so that water come come in. Nasty. She saw a pale hand slip through the bars.
"What?" Hero asked. There was a pause.
"Help me out here? I'm kind of stuck," the voice said. Hero rolled her eyes.
"Because you're a prisoner," Hero said. Duh, she girl in the cell sighed.
"I'm not stupid, but I would appreciate if someone helped. Where's Dan Carson, he's my brother. Let me talk to him," she said. Hero's gut clenched.
"He was executed for treason this morning," she informed her coolly.
"What?" the voice said coldy. "Is that what you call it? More like murder!"
"Who are you?" Hero said crouching down to peer in through the bars. She saw a girl in her late teens, with long curling black hair, milk and honey skin and large brown eyes. An angry gash marred her prefect features.
"I'm Silena Adelaide Beauregard, daughter of Aphrodite. And if you don't help me, I'll be killed. Do you really want that one your conscience?" she asked.
"Like I care what happens to god brats," she said airily. To her annoyance the girl laughed.
"What are you, like twelve? I doubt your that jaded. What's your name?" Silena asked. Hero blinked.
"Hero Laurence, daughter of Nike," she replied automatically. Silena smiled as if that was exactly what she wanted to hear.
"See, you are all still 'god brats' that title is something you all have and all use. No matter how much you hate them, the gods are part of you. Luke Castellan will never get that no matter what he does, he'll still be Luke Castellan, son of Hermes," Silena said. Hero frowned, she guessed that was true but...
"I can't help you," she said. Silena sighed.
"Fine, at least get me some paper and a pen. I need to write a letter," she said. Hero didn't know why she said yes, but she did. Was she a traitor?
And there you have Hero. Constructive criticism is a plus! I know I need a beta, but this is just the introduction chapter! Please tell me what I need to improve in. Thanks!